RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Oncology patients are one of the groups with high suicide risk and it is emphasized that oncology nurses' suicide risk management knowledge and skills are insufficient. Several studies have underlined the need to create training programs specifically for oncology nurses to increase their level of awareness, knowledge, skill, and efficacy in recognizing and managing suicide risk. A valid and reliable scale is required to assess the efficacy of suicide risk management for oncology nurses. This study aimed to develop the Efficacy Perception Scale for Suicide Risk Management for Oncology Nurses and evaluate its psychometric properties. METHODS: This methodological study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the authors conducted a literature review and qualitative study and examined other efficacy scales to generate items. In the second stage, the validity and reliability of the 26 items were determined. The scale content was validated based on feedback from 10 experts. Exploratory analysis of the scale was conducted with the data of 234 oncology nurses. Internal consistency and 2-week test-retest stability measured reliability. RESULTS: The scale's items met the required level of content validity (content validity rateâ¯=â¯0,62), were found to be understandable by 15 nurse (face validity), and all 26 items were retained in the item pool. The exploratory factor analysis extracted a unifactorial solution for the scale. The value of Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.96, and the inter-class reliability coefficient was 0.92. CONCLUSION: The scale is a valid and reliable scale that might be used to assess the efficacy perception of oncology nurses for suicide risk management. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The assessment of oncology nurses' perceptions of efficacy in suicide risk management may enable the identification of training needs and the development of the content of suicide prevention trainings in parallel with the needs of nurses.
RESUMO
AIMS: To determine the perspectives and needs of the oncology nurses in recognising and managing the risk of suicide in cancer patients. BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are one of the groups with a high risk of suicide. The perspectives and needs of oncology nurses regarding their recognition and management of suicide risk in such patients need to be clarified. DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used a sample of 33 oncology nurses that were sampled by maximum variation sampling from different oncology units and hospitals. Data were collected with in-depth interviews via a semi-structured interview form and analysed with content analysis. The COREQ guideline was followed for the reporting of the study. RESULTS: Three main themes and eight subthemes were identified, namely 'An uncertain atmosphere: sensing the risk of suicide but not seeing the picture' (Subthemes: Inability to identify suicide risk, Unclear responsibilities and Distress as a result of uncertainty), 'Efforts to give meaning to and compensate losses of patients' (Subthemes: Attributions to cancer-related losses of patients and Interventions to alleviate distress related to loss) and 'Hindrances beyond the nurse' (Subthemes: Stigma towards psychosocial problems and getting help, Disagreement with the Physician and A lack of institutional culture on suicide prevention). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that oncology nurses have insufficient knowledge and skills and unclear roles in recognising and managing suicide risk. In addition, nurses have difficulty in helping patients due to the insufficient support of team members, stigmas of patients and their relatives towards getting help, patient workloads, and inadequate institutional support in risk management. Training programmes aiming to increase nurses' awareness, knowledge and skills should be developed and embedded into current in-service education programmes and undergraduate education curricula as part of professional improvement. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of the study can contribute to planning the content and scope of suicide prevention training peculiar to oncology nursing.